


i don't know what you are

by inmyrosegarden



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, I CANT BELIEVE I WROTE THIS IM BAWLING, Kid Fic, M/M, guys do u see how many works i have posted should i be embarrassed idk, lol i am a shit with no life, not too happy ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-04
Updated: 2013-12-04
Packaged: 2018-01-03 10:20:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1069333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inmyrosegarden/pseuds/inmyrosegarden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“harry! d’you remember me? i’m louis, remember!? we used to be friends in doncaster when we were younger! we met by the oak tree in the woods by my house.”</p><p>harry’s eyes grow wide; he starts backing away. “mate, ’m sorry but i really don’t know you.”</p><p> </p><p>or; the one where louis knows harry but harry doesn't know him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i don't know what you are

**Author's Note:**

> lol this wasn't supposed to happen but what else is new lol
> 
> this is also a bit weird in the sense that it's quite ambiguous and i've left a lot for you to fill in yourself. feel free to leave your theories in the comments!!!! 
> 
> anyway. enjoy. don't hate me too much pls and thanks. love u pals <3333

stepping onto the tube after a long day at work, louis makes his way to the first empty seat he sees. sinking into the uncomfortable leather chair, he pulls out his battered old phone and aimlessly scrolls through the recent text messages he has received.

most of them are from his mate zayn, asking how his new life in london is, but there are some others from his mates niall and liam inviting him out that night. he releases an exhausted sigh, barely able to keep his eyes open, and tells them both that although he’d love to, he’s probably going to be unconscious by the time he collapses into his bed.

the ride across town is about ten minutes. those minutes pass in agony ever day though, because on top of going to uni full time, louis works a grueling seven hours every day. the way louis sees it, every minute that goes by on his ride home is another minute that could have been spent catching up on much needed sleep. plus, with such limited activities underground, louis can do more than stare at his phone in silence, praying that someone has the decency to text him back.

he really needs to invest in an ipod.

assuming that no one will reply to his messages—because it’s _rare_ that his friends text him back so late at night when they’re out partying—louis puts his phone away and crosses his arms over his chest. he notices, not for the first time, the state of the people who are riding with him. they all look about as tired as he is—some even nodding off occasionally--except for one boy.

the boy has a fresh face surrounded by a head full of curls, and wide green eyes. he’s smiling privately to himself and biting his lip. taking in this boy’s appearance, louis feels the blood drain from his face and his heart sink out of his body. because this can’t be happening; it isn’t possible.

he feels his eyes sting, and his stomach turn. it’s inevitable that all that slips from his mouth is a weak, “harry?”

***

_10 years earlier_

for an eight year old boy with a hyper-active personality and the attention span of a dog, louis is quite good at doing nothing.

well, he’s doing _something._ it’s just that most people wouldn’t understand his love for watching the autumn leave fall from their branches. most people wouldn’t understand his love for watching the leaves dance in the wind like tiny ballerinas in costumes. most people wouldn’t understand his love for watching the leaves vacate the only world they know and delve into a new realm of possibilities.

suffice it to say that louis tomlinson quite enjoys coming up with stories.

louis smiles and a boisterous laugh escapes his lips as one of the biggest leaves he has ever seen falls right onto his face, obstructing his view of the branches of the giant oak tree he is lying under.

“hello?” comes an unsure voice from somewhere to louis’ left.

louis yanks the leaf off his face, accidentally ripping it in half but not having time to be upset over the loss of the single largest leaf he has seen. his heart’s beating a little faster now; he’s excited to see where the tiny voice came from.

clambering to his feet and tugging his raincoat further across his chest, louis calls out, “who’s there?”

suddenly there’s a rustling of leaves, and before louis has a chance to react further, he comes face to face with a boy who is a little shorter than he is. the boy has a cherubic, round face with eyes as wide as saucers and hair so curly it looks like it’s fresh out of the pink curlers that louis’ mum sometimes uses.

louis takes a step back, unsure. “who’re you?”

“oh,” the boy mumbles, cocking his head to the side. “right. i’m harry and i’m six. who’re _you_?”

“’m louis.”

“are you six too?” harry asks, worrying his lip between his teeth.

“no, i’m eight.”

“oh,” harry sighs, shoulders slumping forward.

louis narrows his eyes. “why’re you sad?”

“because you’re a big kid. you’re not gonna play with me now.”

“who said that i don’t wanna play with you?” louis furrows his eyebrows and smacks his lips. “sure I’ll play with ya.”

harry’s eyes instantly light up. “for _real!?”_

“’course, harry. i’ll even give you a super spy nickname okay? only on one condition, though.”

harry pouts. “what’s that?”

“you have to do whatever i say.”

harry considers this for a moment, bringing his index finger to his chin and looking thoughtful. finally, sounding hopeful, he asks, “promise you won’t hurt me?”

louis sticks out his pinky. “i promise. forever i will never ever hurt you.” then he frowns at the complex sentence that tumbled out of his mouth.

harry giggles, wrapping his tiny pinky around louis’. “’kay, good. now. what’s my nickname!?”

“hmm,” louis wonders, tapping his foot. “you can be hazza!”

harry beams, and louis’ feels his chest get inexplicably warmer. “can i choose your super spy nickname!?”

“sure, hazza!”

“you can be lou!”

louis grins, holding his hand out to harry. “let’s go on our first secret mission then! i think we’re ready.”

harry grabs louis’ hand with his. “hooray!”

\--

for the next couple of months, louis talks about harry nonstop. he tells everyone in his class about what his best friend harry did yesterday, and he raves to his mum about how wonderful his younger friend is. at dinner one day, his mum stops his continuous blathering with a laugh.

“louis! if you really want to show me how amazing your mate is, invite him over some time for supper! he can bring his mum too, if he likes.”

louis bites his lip and shrugs. “i mean, i’ll tell him you offered. but harry’ s a very shy boy, mum. he doesn’t really like talking to other people.”

louis’ mum smiles and pats louis’ head. “well maybe you can lend harry some of your words, then? heaven knows you’ve been given too many.”

louis doesn’t quite know what to say to that. he sips his soup in silence instead.

~

one day under the oak tree, louis remembers to invite harry over to his house for dinner.

no matter how much he pleads, harry won’t accept his invitation.

***

louis is 11 now and he and his mum are arguing. again.

the argument is about harry. _again_.

“louis i’m ninty percent sure that this is all a hoax. what breaks my heart is that you have been _lying_ to me for _four_ years!”

“mum, what are you _talking_ about? i’ve been completely honest with you ever since you taught me that telling lies was wrong!

louis’ mum slams her hand onto the kitchen counter. “it has been four years, louis. four years since you have been friends with this so called harry character and not _once_ have i met him!”

louis feels his face turn bright red with rage. “you want to meet him? _fine._ i’ll bring him to dinner tomorrow.”

he leaves the kitchen feeling like he’s going to explode.

\--

“okay,” louis tells harry who is standing with him on louis’ front proch for the first time. “here goes nothing.”

“god, lou. d’you think she’ll like me?” questions a wide-eyed nine-year-old harry. and god, louis loves him _so_ much; not just in the best friend way either. they’re so young, but louis just _knows_ that harry’s it for him. he’s trying to gain the courage to tell harry that.

instead he says, “’course, hazza. don’t you worry.”

he opens the heavy front door.

~

“mum,” starts louis, gesturing to the boy beside him who he sees is grinning from ear to ear. “mum, this is my best friend harry.”

louis’ mum looks at the empty space where louis is gesturing. a sob escapes her lips and she crumples like an old leaf beneath someone’s feet. she rushes forward to encompass her baby boy in her arms.

“oh, louis,” she cries into his neck. “oh, love. i’m so sorry.”

 

 

there’s no one in the room but them.

\--

louis’ mum takes him to a psychiatrist.

she tells the old woman that louis has been seeing an imaginary friend since he was eight, and they begin “treatment” right away.

louis never sees harry again.

***

_present day_

“harry?”

there is no doubt in louis’ mind that the boy he sees is harry. _his_ harry. the eyes, the face, the dimples—they’re all the same.

it seems like his assumption is correct, as the boy’s smile slips off his face when he hears the sound of his name. he looks both ways, searching for the person who called him.

when his eyes finally stop on louis, his eyebrows furrow. louis bites his lip and waves at him, because _wow._ harry looks even better now than he did when they were kids. and best of all, harry’s _real_! louis _knew_ he wasn’t crazy!

the boy squints his eyes and, eventually, turns away awkwardly, like he doesn’t recognize louis. although louis feels a pang of hurt, he pays the action no mind. after all, he can see how much harry has changed and he knows he has changed just as much. maybe harry doesn’t remember him? he _was_ younger than louis at the time of their friendship, after all.

the train comes to a stop and harry gets up to get off. louis immediately follows, overcome with an urge to reconnect with his long lost friend. he needs to tell harry how much the years without his friendship have sucked.

“harry, wait!” louis calls after the tall boy as they start walking through the station. he pushes past people without a care, trying not to lose the boy he never thought he’d see again. “harry!”

suddenly, the boy with the green eyes turns around, looking frightened. “sorry, mate? you talking to me?”

“’course i am!” louis laughs. “harry! d’you remember me?”

the boy cocks his head to the side. louis laughs hysterically.

“i’m louis, remember!? we used to be friends in doncaster when we were younger! we met by the oak tree in the woods by my house.”

harry’s eyes grow wide; he starts backing away. “mate, ’m sorry but i really don’t know you.”

“harry,” louis says, grin faltering. “we were friends for four _years._ me mum sent me to a psychiatrist because you wouldn’t come meet her! don’t you remember?”

“mate, i really don’t know what you’re talking about. i’m sorry, you’ve got the wrong guy.”

“ _harry,”_ louis pleads, eyes overflowing with tears. “harry, please remember me. you were my best friend! i’ve never loved anyone as much as i’ve loved you and i miss you so fucking much! things have been so shit since we stopped being friends, harry.” a tear cascades down louis’ cheek.

harry shakes his head and gulps. “i’m so _so_ sorry, pal. i really don’t know who you are. i’ve lived in chesire my whole life.”

“but—“ louis whimpers.

harry looks around and bites his lip. he gives louis a pitiful look. “sorry, mate. gotta run. hope you find your friend, yeah? take care.”

and with that, harry’s gone. harry’s gone and he’s left louis behind again—with a heart full of love but no one to give it to. 

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: txmlinsxn


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